


Solstice Kisses

by orphan_account



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Frottage, Kissing, M/M, Sharing Body Heat, Thumb-sucking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-30
Updated: 2015-09-30
Packaged: 2018-04-24 03:02:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4903042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On the shortest day of the year, Merlin goes to a cave to make a wish. When the weather gets worse, he ends up having to spend the night there, with a handsome stranger.</p>
<p>Written for the Lip Service comment fest, for this prompt: <i>They're sharing a tent / room or something and one wakes to a strange sound to find that the other sucks their thumb in their sleep. Things escalate quickly.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Solstice Kisses

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alby_mangroves](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alby_mangroves/gifts).



> **Warnings:** Underage. Merlin is one week away from his sixteenth birthday. When asked about his age, he tells Arthur he's sixteen.

*

The cave wasn't littered, like ones in more accessible areas. No one ever came here.

There was firewood in the hearth and a sizeable pile next to it; the branches Freya and he had collected in summer. Merlin followed the beam of his torch deeper inside, where the cave narrowed into a crevice.

He went as far as he could, then peeled off his mittens and placed the shortbread on the cave floor. They looked like fat coins in the poor light. He licked his fingers, tasted sweet crumbs.

He closed his eyes to make his wish.

"I just want someone to love. Someone who loves me back. I'd like to kiss someone and I'd like to– " He blushed. There were things he felt uncomfortable with saying out loud, because it all sounded like the lyrics of some awful song. "A boy," he added, as if the Old Ones of the hills would decide to spirit up a girl for him. "I just want a boyfriend."

He turned, relieved. If he hurried back, he might still get home before tea. 

But when he reached the mouth of the cave, everything outside was a grey blur. The wind had become a gale. He would have to spend the night and wait for the weather to clear up. 

His mum would be worried, but there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't even call her. Mobile phone reception on the island was patchy at best and in the hills it was non-existent. He might as well be lost somewhere in the Amazon.

He began rifling through his backpack, found a lighter. 

There was some dry grass growing outside the cave and he used it as kindling. Once he'd set fire to the grass, he fed the little flame with more grass, moss and then the thinnest of the branches. Soon he had managed a small fire in the hearth, which grew as he fed it with larger branches.

Things would have been cosy if he'd just had some food. With a sigh, he stuck his thumb in his mouth. There was no one here to care if he did.

He didn't know for how long he'd been sitting there dozing, curled up on himself, suckling his thumb the way he only did in moments of dire need, when a sound stirred him. 

He looked up and saw a man, dressed as if he belonged on some ski resort rather than here. He was blond. In the light of the fire his face looked sculpted: high cheekbones, a haughty wedge of a nose over a broad mouth and narrow eyes. To Merlin, who read too much, he looked like one of the Vikings who'd raided the island, a thousand years ago. 

"I'd no idea this cave was inhabited." The stranger's accent screamed England and affluence.

Merlin removed his thumb from his mouth and stood. "It isn't," he said, hiding the wet digit in his sleeve. "I was just passing by."

The stranger came closer and reached out his hand. "I'm Arthur."

Merlin took the offered hand, relieved that he tended to suck his left thumb and not the right one. "I'm … I'm Merlin."

Arthur's laughter echoed in the cave. "Seriously?"

Merlin nodded. He was unsure of what to do, so he sat again, moving so that there was space for Arthur next to him on the boulder. Arthur sat down and removed his gloves to warm his hands by the fire.

"What are you doing out here?" Merlin glanced sideways at Arthur. _Out here_ was the island, this entire part of the country, as well as the hills themselves.

Arthur only answered part of the question. "I was looking for this very cave."

"No one ever comes here. Not even the tourists, in summer."

"But you do?" 

"I came here with a friend, once. She showed it to me." 

Merlin saw a corner of Arthur's mouth rise. "You came here with your girlfriend?"

Merlin blushed. "She's not my girlfriend, she's just my friend and we didn't … She was just showing it to me because her aunt had told her about it." He grew silent, before he realised Arthur owed him an answer, too. "But why were you looking for it?"

"My landlady told me Merlin was said to be locked up in this very cave."

"Your landlady? Oh, don't tell me, you're renting a room with old Killy? She's a batty old dragon! Why would you even be interested in old tales like that?"

"I'm the new island archaeologist. Or rather, I will be, come January, when I'll replace Gaius Wilson. And what are you doing here, Merlin?" He said Merlin's name as if he found it amusing, as if being named Arthur wasn't just as ridiculous. 

But the strange situation they found themselves in made it easy to talk and Merlin said, "It's silly."

"As silly as looking for an ancient Merlin and finding a boy?"

"My friend says that if you leave a gift to the Old Ones in this cave, before nightfall on the shortest day of the year, they'll grant you a wish."

"And you believe in it?" 

"Don't know. Can't hurt, can it?"

"It can, if you freeze to death."

"I suppose I might, but I won't. I'll sleep here tonight."

"You don't mind sharing your cave?"

"No."

"I have some food, if you want."

Merlin smiled.

Arthur barked out another laugh. "I thought it would cheer you up." He removed his backpack and Merlin watched expectantly as he opened it.

"There's tea." Arthur pulled out a flask. "And chocolate, sandwiches, cake, more chocolate, an orange, apples, juice and raisins. My sister says I'm a shameless glutton, but I just happen to have a healthy appetite." He'd been lining up the things between them as he talked. 

"You're like someone from the Famous Five books," Merlin said and stared at the food with undisguised awe.

"I know, right? That's exactly what my sister says. Now, what d'you want? Start with a sandwich?"

Merlin nodded. 

"Cheese or ham?"

"Cheese," Merlin said. Arthur gave him one, his fingers brushing Merlin's in the process. 

"I think you've just become my favourite person in the world," Merlin said, between bites.

Arthur grinned at him, too busy eating to reply. He touched his shoulder to Merlin's in a playful nudge, like they'd been friends for ages, not just two strangers meeting by chance.

Afterwards, Merlin was overwhelmed with the drowsy feeling of having been cold and hungry and suddenly being warm and full. He realised he'd fallen asleep when he felt Arthur's shoulder against his cheek. He sat up with a start.

"Tired?" Arthur's voice was soft.

"I just … It's been a long day."

"I don't mind." Arthur touched his own shoulder, where Merlin's face had been just a moment ago. "But I think we could do better than that." He found not only one, but two tightly wrapped blankets . "There's one for each of us." 

He unfolded one and wrapped it around Merlin's shoulders. They settled on the floor of the cave, leaning against the boulder behind them. Arthur placed the other blanket over his own lap.

"Mum will be so worried," Merlin said. "I told her I'd go to Freya's. I said I'd be back for tea."

"It's not your fault, though, is it? And mums worry. That's what they do." 

"I should have come here earlier." Merlin plucked at the blanket. "Or, you know, not at all. It's just stupid, anyway."

"It's not stupid. It was clearly important to you."

Merlin blushed and hoped that Arthur wouldn't notice. "Why are you here now?" he asked, after a few moments of trying to come up with something to say. "If your new job starts in January? Don't you want to be with your family for Christmas?"

At least this way, he'd find out if Arthur had a girlfriend, or perhaps even a wife and kids.

"My parents are dead. I usually spend Christmas with my sister, but this year she's staying with her girlfriend's family. They invited me, but …" Arthur made a half-hearted little shrug and his smile was crooked. "They're in that lovey-dovey stage. I don't want to have to sleep in the room next to them and cover my ears while they …" Another shrug.

"Yeah," Merlin said, blushing fiercer, "must be awkward."

"She's my ex."

"Your sister's new girlfriend?"

"Mm-hmm. But we broke up years ago."

"So you're all alone for Christmas?" 

"It's not too bad. My landlady says the pub gets pretty lively." Merlin had no idea if he was being sarcastic and before he could think of a reply, Arthur said, "You're shivering! Are you cold? Here, let me." 

Merlin stared as Arthur took both of his hands and rubbed them between his own, then breathed on them. It was awkward, sitting half turned like this and he didn't even know what to do about it until Arthur spoke again.

"If you sit in my lap, it'll make things easier."

So Merlin straddled Arthur's thick thighs and Arthur opened his ski jacket and let Merlin put his hands inside, tuck them safely under his arms. Merlin nestled close and buried his face in the crook of Arthur's neck. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with Arthur's scent. He felt dizzy. He was so hard, but hidden away underneath all the layers of clothes, his cock didn't make itself known to Arthur. 

Merlin moaned and it came out ragged.

Arthur's arms tightened around him. "Are you crying?"

When Merlin sniffled, confused and aroused, Arthur said, "It's okay, I promise you we'll get out of here alive. It'll be fine, just you see." And then he started rocking Merlin, very gently. 

Merlin had never known he could cry on cue. But if crying like the baby Arthur evidently thought he was would keep him in Arthur's arms, he would cry. So he did and it was almost as comforting and sort of naughty as sucking his thumb.

It started in a tentative manner, but as Arthur shushed and rocked him, mumbling soothing words, Merlin's sounds grew more distressed. He clung tightly, dared to put his arms around Arthur's neck and made himself little, as if he really was just a baby and not one week shy of his sixteenth birthday.

It didn't make his hard-on go away, it just made it worse. He rocked against Arthur, rubbing his stiffy against Arthur's solid body through the layers of their clothes and Arthur didn't know. The touch wasn't enough to bring Merlin off, just to keep him on edge and he cried and rubbed for what seemed like hours.

"I'll take care of you." Arthur's voice was lower now. "Shh. It'll be fine, I promise."

When, at last, Merlin stopped crying, he felt wrecked with being hard for so long. Arthur found a handkerchief and cleaned his face and made him blow his nose.

"Let's get you to bed. Do you want me to hold you?" It was said so sweetly that Merlin felt like a creep for taking advantage, but he just couldn't help himself. 

He nodded. Soon they were spooning on the cave floor, with one blanket underneath them and one on top. When Merlin began to shiver, Arthur took it for cold and rubbed his arm.

"It'll be all right." Arthur sounded so noble it made Merlin start to cry again.

He pressed closer and pushed his arse firmly into Arthur's crotch. Arthur let out a moan and held Merlin tighter.

"You're going to be fine." Merlin felt Arthur's hot breath against his own exposed earlobe. "I'll make sure nothing happens to you."

Merlin kept sobbing, though no more tears came, and he kept rocking, rubbing against Arthur. 

Merlin fell asleep. He woke up from Arthur leaning over him, breathing heavily into his ear.

"Merlin. Merlin! You're … God. You're sucking your thumb." He made it sound as if he'd never seen anything like it.

Merlin removed his thumb from his mouth, caught between embarrassment and annoyance. 

"I should go outside," Arthur said. He shifted, as if he was about to get up.

"But it's cold. You'll freeze to death." 

Arthur let out a sharp sound that might be a laugh. "I shouldn't be lying here with you. I mean, how old are you?"

"I'm sixteen." It was a lie, but once he'd said it, he couldn't take it back. More words followed. He couldn't seem to keep his mouth shut. Something about Arthur's husky, troubled tone and the way he'd unconsciously grabbed Merlin's hip was driving him mad. "I'm sorry I sucked my thumb, like a baby. I shouldn't. It just happens. I'm sorry." 

His thumb felt raw. He must have been sucking at it for a while before Arthur woke him. The cuticle hurt; he'd been worrying it with his teeth.

Arthur relaxed a little at Merlin's words. "I don't want to leave. But you were sucking. You were making these noises. And I … Merlin, it's been very, very long since …" 

Heat built deep in Merlin's groin. The more rational part of his brain was still dulled by sleep. He turned around and came face to face with Arthur. Even in the light of the fire, he could see Arthur's frown. He reached out and cupped Arthur's jaw in his hand. He could feel the muscles there, how they tensed up, as if Arthur – twice his size, probably twice his age – were afraid of him. 

The thought made him brave. He'd never felt so powerful.

He leaned forward, a few inches, nothing more was needed. He pressed his lips to Arthur's. At first, it was just Arthur's chapped, dry lips against his own. And then Merlin dared to lick at the seam of of Arthur's mouth and Arthur groaned. Merlin touched his tongue with the tip of his own. Briefly, it felt as if Arthur would pull away, but then he didn't. His hand came to rest on Merlin's hip again. 

They were kissing, really kissing. Arthur's mouth was stale from sleep, just as his own, but somehow that only reminded Merlin that this was real, that it wasn't a fantasy.

It was all mouths and tongues until Arthur groaned and flipped them over. Merlin ended up under him, with his legs spread to accommodate Arthur. He almost came then and there, crushed and out of breath until Arthur braced himself on his elbows. Merlin curled his arms around Arthur's neck, clinging to him as Arthur explored his mouth.

Arthur leaned away for a second. His hair was a mess and his eyes narrowed as he smiled.

"You shouldn't let me do this." Laughter tinged his voice, pitched it high. He thumbed at Merlin's lips, forced down the lower one. "Christ, your _mouth_."

He leaned in again, licked at the exposed flesh, then dipped his tongue deeper, beyond Merlin's teeth. Merlin met him with his own tongue. He caught Arthur's tongue and sucked at it. Sucked and sucked until Arthur pulled away with a breathless sound and forced his thumb into Merlin's mouth.

Merlin sucked at that instead, couldn't help the sounds that escaped him as he did so. Arthur kissed his face as Merlin sucked and one of his hands wandered lower. 

"Let me?"

Merlin didn't understand until he felt the pressure of Arthur's fingers at his groin.

Arthur wanted to– He wanted to–

What did he want?

"Let me touch you. Just touch you, nothing more."

"Yes," Merlin whispered. "Yes, please."

He lifted his hips, let Arthur push his trousers and thermal underwear out of the way.

Arthur laughed. It was a rough sound, harsh in his throat. "Tell me to stop if you want me to." 

He waited and Merlin said, "I don't want you to stop. I want to touch you too."

And he did, tugging at Arthur's trousers, needing to feel more skin. Arthur's cock was damp and so hot against Merlin's searching fingers. It was really thick and it felt so good in his hand.

Arthur pushed Merlin's hand away and grabbed both of their cocks in his fist; they were both slippery and the slide was easy. Arthur kissed him again. It was nothing like before. Arthur was claiming his mouth, touching every millimetre of it as he moved his hips and rocked against Merlin. His thighs were strong between Merlin's, solid with muscle.

Merlin came first, splattering Arthur's fist. Arthur just kept going and Merlin was dizzy with it all: Arthur's tongue in his mouth, the weight of Arthur on top of him, the heady scent of his own come. It didn't last long. Soon Arthur grunted. More liquid heat joined that already coating Merlin's cock.

Arthur's hand slipped away, dragging wet over Merlin's groin. He became heavier, still breathing harshly. It felt good to have him there. Merlin touched his hair, his face. 

"I'm sorry," Arthur said as he disentangled himself from Merlin. He found a handkerchief somewhere and cleaned them both up, adjusted their clothes. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Please tell me it wasn't your first time."

Merlin tried not to smile. Arthur looked so worried. "Would you feel better if I lied?"

Arthur sagged, lay down at Merlin's side again. "No, I wouldn't."

Adult or not, it sounded as if he was about to sulk. Merlin wouldn't have that. He curled up close, put his head on Arthur's shoulder and his arm around Arthur's broad chest. Merlin longed to find out what he looked like, under the layers of his clothes.

"Would you feel better if I hugged you?"

Arthur was silent for a few moments, but then he laughed, relieved. He cupped Merlin's head in his hand, tore away the beanie to ruffle his hair.

"I suppose so."

"You could come over for Christmas," Merlin said, before he fell asleep.

"You think your mum would welcome a total stranger?"

"You've got nowhere else to go. And you saved me. Mum would welcome you with open arms, trust me."

"Hmm." Arthur sounded shy. "We'll see."

 

In the morning, just before they left, Merlin grabbed his torch and went to the back of the cave. The shortbread would do for breakfast. It was better than nothing.

Except they were all gone, without a trace.

Merlin was still staring at the cave floor in disbelief when Arthur called for him. 

"Come on, Merlin, let's go!"

"Thank you," Merlin whispered into the ancient darkness, before he ran towards Arthur and the light.


End file.
